Where do I start?
Colonialism has not ended, it has just mutated into a different form-installing puppet leaders, creation of chaos and subtle occupation of an African country by deploying foreign troops in the disguise of fighting terrorism
Chaos is a ladder basically…
But lets get serious,
France has a history of creating chaos in African countries, then leveraging the crisis to plunder their resources
France played a huge role in the Libya war, Rwandan Genocide and Biafra war to name a few. Anything to get their hands on gold, oil , Uranium and other riches of Africa even if it includes assassinating 22 African presidents
This is Africa’s Sahel
The countries along the Sahel are rich in many of the world’s needed resources.
Niger Republic has the fourth Largest deposits of Uranium in the world, while Mali is said to have the largest deposits of gold and Lake Chad bordering Nigeria, Niger and Chad have deposits of untapped oil.
Most of the western countries along the Sahel region are French colonies using the French CFA (Mali, Senegal,Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad) and they have most their reserves in the French Central bank.
Nigeria is the only country within the region that refuses to answer to France.
France as been accused mining resources from their former colonies without paying taxes to the people
France has no gold deposits but has the 4th largest gold reserves in its banks, reports indicates that this gold comes from Northern Mali which has about 860 gold deposits.
Uranium from Niger has made France a very rich country.
State-owned French company Areva, is now one of the largest uranium producers in the world(Thanks to Niger) France uses this uranium to generate nuclear power, light up France & export the excess to other European countries.
So how does France ensure their continued influence in the African Sahel region where anti French sentiments occasionally rise and rebel groups demand their share of the resources
The rise of Islamic extremism like Boko Haram seems to have created a problem, but also an opportunity for France
While Locals Rebels are fighting France for rights and privileges of their country’s resources in Mali and Niger
Jihadist are out to get their share of the resource rich sahel region’
France now has an excuse to occupy the Sahel of Africa with a full military base because you see, they have to fight “terrorism” and anyone who challenges their quest for resources conveniently falls under this terrorist tag, including regional rebels who demand France pay their fair share.
So Africa’s Sahel is practically under french occupation…
They have been in the region with over 4500 French troops for many years They have 4 French military base, drones- that can far reaching all the activities of the region.
They claim to be fighting Islamic extremist, but are they fighting or aiding Boko Haram…
For 12 years, Boko Haram has been decimated by the Nigerian army very many times, but they always return stronger, better armed and capable of high intelligence operations. Who is arming them?
The Nigeria Army has blamed French NGO(s) for arming Boko Haram
Ammunition was hidden by French NGO(s) inside food aid meant for Boko Haram victims. Reports indicate that agents are infiltrated into the NGO(s) and used as a front to deliver weapons and boost the Boko Haram fighters.
The Chadian Minister of Communication, Hassan Sylla Bakary, has once mentioned that over 40% of arms seized from Boko Haram by Chadian soldiers have been classified as French-made weapons
emphasising that manufacturers of the weapons have to know that the arms are in the wrong hands.
“African countries do not fabricate guns. They buy it from countries like France, Russia and the United States of America.”
Hassan Sylla Bakary The Chadian Minister of Communication,
With French drones in the sky and french troops on ground manning the entire area of the Sahel, attacks continue unabated making many rightly suspicious.
Nigeria is the only country in the region that does not submit to France and in many ways France has always viewed Nigeria as a threat to their sphere of Influence
France has a wide intrest accross the Sahel and one flash point is the lake Chad Basin.
Activities of insurgents in the region may be more about the economics of the Lake Chad region
Oil rich lake Chad runs through four countries-Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Nigeria (the only non French aligned country in the Chad basin circle). map below
Nigeria’s Lake chad basin is rich in untapped oil reserves, there have been many failed efforts by the NNPC to renew exploration in the area, the activities of Boko Haram has made this impossible.
The Other countries in the Circle of lake Chad on the other hand has successfully tapped and made income from the lake Chad basin giving France sales preference and Tax free concession- (typical of French West Africa countries.
If Nigeria resumes mining in Lake Chad with possible cooperation with its neighbors, this could threaten the French hold of Lake Chad’s oil.
Any region of Africa rich in natural resources is always plaqued with shadow wars- Just like Northern Mali, home to gold deposits is dealing with France sponsored Rebels
France activities has indeed left Africa poorer and contributed to the migration crisis which led Italy’s Deputy PM Luigi Di Maio to suggest that the EU should punish countries like France that impoverish Africa and prompt people to leave the continent. “Africans should be in Africa, not at the bottom of the Mediterranean…x
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